[Pharmers]

1. Do you need to remove the alternator to do a diode test with a multimeter. Do you just need to remove connections? But ok to leave in place?

2. If you do need to remove the alternator is it difficult in a 2011 Ram? 5.7L

Thanks...

I'm getting increasing static in my am / fm radio, etc... Have pulled the radio and checked connections, added a better ground. No better. So looking at multiple ham radio and Ram forums for suggestions. Several say that could be due to diode going out in alternator.

Thanks!
John

 

[Propgov]

If you we're to have a bad diode one phase of the ac output would be out of phase so the out put would not be true dc current and most likely the battery would die overnite because the output leg would power the magnetic field thought the bad diode. Easy check with the truck turned off see if the rotor is magnetized if it is that would be caused by a diode allowing current flow in bolth directions,If there is a capacitor on your alternator they are usually used as a noise supressor that may be bad.

 

[GTyankee]

I don't get the static in my Ram radio, but i sure as heck do in my CB radio
i can hear the truck shifting through the gears through the CB

I have also been told & read online, that one of the diodes going bad would do what it is doing.
I have also heard that a suppressor could be put in the power line, between the battery & CB radio
I have not gone to the Electric shop that i use yet, because it doesn't bother me bad enough to make a special trip to see them, i will wait until i have another issue & get them both fixed at once

 

[Pharmers]

Thanks guys. Makes sense the battery would die. I'll check to see if there is a capacitor on there. Time to google and poke around. I love radios and when there s a problem I love to tear things apart to make it work right. When I can't diagnose the problem it just about makes me nuts even with the world so messed up and on my mind most of the time.

Thanks again. I found a suppressor I can make on my own for less than $20 that has a proven track record with Hams.

 

[gcscott]

I get static on my CB radio from the HID ballasts. I turn off the HID lights the static goes away. My CB radio is wired directly into the battery with a inline fuse.

 

[Pharmers]

I'm going for the inline filter. I opened up the dash again and made sure all of the connections were good...they were. There has to be some electronics guru out there that knows exactly what to do.